


What if

by dragonsofmyheart



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: ?????!?, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Blood and Gore, F/F, F/M, Magic, graphic depictions of death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-14 10:46:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5740741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonsofmyheart/pseuds/dragonsofmyheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Willow was transported back in time by the PTB's after a horrible attack to change everything... Is this a second chance? Or something altogether more sinister? ????!?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Willow had just slipped out for a minute to grab more booze from a nearby shop to drown their sorrows in. The whole gang had gathered 'round at an old hotel and were alternating between laughing, crying, and silence while reminiscing about the "good old days" in Sunnydale. It was a cold night so willow borrowed Angel's coat. It was only two blocks. She didn't hear the screams until it was too late.

She ran back as fast as she could, but the damage was already done. She burst through the door and nearly vomited.

Buffy was the closest to the door, an ornately carved broadsword through her chest, her beautiful face smeared with blood, once bright eyes cold and empty. Giles had fallen not far behind. He lay facedown on the white carpet that was slowly staining red, back split to reveal startlingly white bones flecked with red. His glasses lay not far away, crushed and bloodied.

A fine layer of ash covered them, and Willow flexed her hands inside the log sleeves of the Vampire's coat.

She slowly made her way though what was left of the living room, stepping over the bodies of dead demons and pushing broken furniture out of her way and crept slowly to the kitchen. There she found Xander, her oldest and dearest friend with a similarly carved dagger through his remaining eye and a literal death grip on a green-splattered cleaver sprawled across the tile. That was when the shock wore off.

She sank to the floor, pulling his body onto her lap and caressing his finally peaceful face. Willow's vision blurred as tears finally came, rolling down her face and splashing softly on his quickly cooling skin. She clutched his hand tightly, rested against the counter, and let the tears come full force; her choked cry of anguish shattering the heavy silence that had settled in the room. Willow carefully removed the knives and made enough noise to hopefully bring back the creatures so they could kill her too. She let the feelings of hopelessness at her sudden aloneness in the world, her grief at the loss of the people who were closer to her than her biological family, her guilt from not being there to do something, her jealousy at her friends finally being free and together in the warm embrace of wherever Buffy had gone the second time she died, and her anger at the unknown forces that had allowed this to happen wash over her. As her anger grew, her other emotions subsided until she was swept away by a wave of pure rage and possessed by a spirit of vengeance not found in even the most fearsome "justice" demon. Sliding Xander's body slowly to the floor, Willow stood and stormed into the bedrooms to find some answers. All she found were more bodies

She flung open the door to Dawn and Buffy's shared room. The young girl in question was laying against the bed, throat torn out savagely, with blood still trickling slowly down her front. Her dead eyes stared endlessly into space. Demon blood mixed with Dawn's in a pool on the floor and Willow glimpsed the corpse of a large one on the other side of the bed.

Willow began to tear up again but quickly rubbed the tears from her eyes and stalked around to the dead demon. She dragged it to the middle of the floor to study it. It was about six feet tall with grey-purple skin and large eyes, two in the front and three in the back. It had two legs and four arms with assorted holsters and sheaths strapped to each. It wore heavy metal armor with an iridescent sheen. It's face was somewhat horse-like with large ears and a long snout, but the eyes were that of a fly. All in all it was pretty fucked up looking.

Willow detached one of its sheathes and readjusted it to fit her thigh. It gave off a staticky buzz when she touched it. Not unlike the feeling she got when she would fall asleep at a desk in the library and wake up with both feet and a hand asleep.

Next was the room she and Faith had shared. This one was empty, mocking her with its untouched appearance. Quickly she turned away and headed to the last room. The master suite had been owned exclusively by Giles. Here she found the dark slayer.

Faith was arranged artfully, hands clasped daintily over the gaping hole in her stomach. If it weren't for this, Willow would have thought she was sleeping. Willow knelt next to the slayer and noticed a small slip of paper peeking out from Faith's folded hands.

She plucked it gingerly from the cool grasp of the fallen woman and unfolded it.

 _Witch,_  
_By the time you are reading this the charm will have begun its work. Keep your ears open, you will know when we need you._  
 _\- D_

The room shifted, her vision darkened, and she woke up.


	2. You're alive?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow awakens to people and places she thought long gone.

Her head throbbed. Her eyes burned. Her body ached. Willow felt like shit.

Sunlight streamed through her French doors, telling her it was morning. Thank goddess, she thought, it was all a dream. She tried to sit up and felt something heavy on her shoulders.

Angel's coat.

It wasn't a dream.

Willow felt all the air whoosh out of her at once like a crushed balloon. She gasped and clutched her pillow for support as she tried to normalize her breathing. It wasn't a dream. Everyone she had ever cared about was gone and she was left alive by some mysterious "D". Willow could feel the frosty cold hands of despair reaching endlessly towards her and-

Wait a minute.

French doors? Her pillows? What the hell was going on here?

She sprang out of her bed, rushed to her computer and looked up the date.

August 15th, 1997.

Suddenly there was a knock on the front door. She jumped and rushed to answer it, and what she saw nearly stopped her heart. Alexander Lavelle Harris looked up at her from her front steps with _both_ of his big brown eyes; trademark goofy grin in place.

"Aren't you gonna invite me in, Wills?"  
She nodded slowly, stepping back to let him pass. The moment he stepped over the threshold, she grabbed him in a bone crushing hug.  
"Ouch, Wills. Remember that new fangled breathing concept? Cuz I'm starting to forget!" He choked out.  
"Sorry. It feels like I haven't seen you in forever." She replied breathlessly.  
"We just talked last night, are you feeling ok Willow?"  
She swallowed thickly, "Better now that you're here." He followed her into the icy living room and settled onto one of the stiff armchairs. He studied her strange behavior warily as she shuffled around: picking things up, inspecting them, and putting them back. "Willow?" He ventured tentatively. She jerked her head up, dropping a framed photograph and wincing when the glass shattered against the dark marble of the fireplace floor. He immediately jumped up to help her clean it up, dashing into the kitchen after her.

She had thrown all the cabinets open and was frantically searching through them all as if she didn't remember that the broom was kept in the garage along with the dustpan. He rested his hand firmly on her shoulder and she whipped her head around, firey hair sticking to her face and framing her wide, green eyes. His mouth dropped open as he noticed a dark vein arching across the white of her left eye. Willow seemed to sag under the weight of his hand, sliding down the wall next to the tall pantry she had been rifling through moments earlier. He crouched next her and caught her wrist, feeling her pulse fluttering erratically. He pulled her into a hug and she slumped bonelessly into his embrace.

He waited a moment for her breathing to even out a little. His mind reeled for an explanation of her strange outburst but came up blank. She had been completely normal on the phone last night, other than expressing the usual excitement over the beginning of school. She, Xander, and Jessie had been planning to meet up for a last hurrah of the summer tonight, but he was doubting whether she'd be up to it considering her frazzled state.

She shifted in his arms and grabbed his shoulder to steady herself as she slowly stood. He hauled her up easily and led her to the couch, settling her back against the scratchy decorative pillows and lifting her legs to the other end. She protested quietly but by then he was already back in the kitchen filling up a glass with water. After depositing it within her reach, he made his way to the garage and back to sweep up the glass.

Upon reaching down to pick up the frame, he recognized the photo as the one he kept on his bedside table. It had been taken that summer when they had spent the day at the beach with Jessie and in the one at home they had all worn smiles and the sunny day was, well, picturesque. In this strange iteration, Willow was looking into the camera in a wistful, knowing way. Xander's eyes were black pits, and jessie had become a decayed, dusty corpse. Willow sat up in the corner of his eye, and he turned to check on her. The photo lay forgotten on the mantle.


	3. Welcome to the Hellmouth

Upon arriving at the school, Willow sat on one of the weathered stone benches and waited for Xander. A few guys passed her and did a double take at the new clothes she had been forced to buy upon opening her closet to discover a sea of toddlerwear. She barely noticed, choosing instead to study the populus; it was a graveyard tour come to life.

An abrasive skittering followed by the thump of a teenage body drew her back. She turned around to see Xander sprawled out on the pavement, skateboard in hand. "Willow, very much the person I wanted to see" A flash of the last time she had seen him slumped like that flashed through her mind as she helped him up. She blinked quickly and the flash faded. The all too familar whine of first bell beckoned them to first period. They pushed through the double doors and entered the school.

"Hey hey!" a familiar voice called out. Jessie. She had forgotten all about him. Tears sprang to her eyes. "Hey Jessie, what's what?" Xander greeted him casually.  
"New girl"  
Jessie smirked. "That's right, I saw her. Pretty much a hottie."  
Willow chuckled under her breath, remembering Xander's bumbling attempts at wooing said hottie.

-_-_-

"-needs to call me."  
"Frappuchinos"  
"Trendy, but tasty"  
"John Tesh"  
"The devil"  
"That was pretty much a gimme, but you passed!"  
"Oh, good!"  
"Willow" Cordelia crooned. "Nice coat" "Does it come with the ew or is that just part of the Rosenberg Special?"  
Willow sighed, crossed her arms, and turned to face the bane of her high school existence. "Cordy, you look just _lovely_ today. I wonder if you wouldn't mind trying out the 'Rosenberg Special'" She leered and the brunette spluttered, blushed red as a tomato, and stormed away.

Buffy looked shocked and quickly rushed after her.

-_-_-

Willow ate her lunch on the same bench she had waited on not four hours ago. As she was unwrapping her sandwich, Willow felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She took a deep breath and smelled the Slayer's strong perfume.  
"Mmm. Apricots."  
She heard the other girl scuffle around on the pavement trying to figure out what to say.  
"Is this seat taken?" She asked softly. It took all of Willow's self control to keep from leaping up and reenacting her Xander hug. Willow shook her head. Buffy sat down and began to unwrap her lunch as well.

They ate in silence for a while, each trying to think of what to say to break the ice. Finally Buffy spoke.  
"I'm Buffy Summers, I'm new." She gave Willow one of her winning Buffy Summers Sunshine of the World smiles. Willow's heart leapt at the sight of what she thought long gone.  
"Willow. Been here long?" Buffy shook her head.  
"About a week or two, I've had time to unpack and stuff, but I still don't know my way around town yet." Willow smiled.  
"I could show you, I mean if you're not busy tonight we could-" She finally met Buffy's eyes and froze under the other girl's gaze. Hazel eyes peered out at her from underneath long, black lashes. The small lines that creased her friend's face had yet to appear. Buffy blushed.

She was interrupted by a flurry of teenage boy. Xander settled in next to Willow as Jessie inspected the "Pretty much" hottie.

"Um, Buffy this is Xander and Jessie. Guys this is Buffy Summers." The boys barely nodded as they Ogled the blonde. Willow snorted and continued  
"Like I was saying, we could all go out tonight and show Buffy around."  
The boys nodded. Jessie tore his eyes from the beauty that was Buffy Summers to ask Willow if she thought Cordelia would be at the Bronze tonight. Suddenly Willow remembered something about that night. Jessie's _last_ night.

"Oh Jessie I'm so sorry I forgot, we need to work on that history project!" She turned to the blonde, "I hope that's okay?" Buffy nodded, "Maybe tomorrow?"

"History project? Thats not due til next week! Let's go out and show Bunny here a good time." Jessie gestured to the exasperated girl in question. 

"Its _Buffy_ " She scowled and Jessie had the good sense to look apologetic.

"Can you at least try to do some of it? What are you gonna do when you can't get into college because of your terrible grades? Repeat the twelfth grade?" Jessie's eyes widened in fear and he shook his head.  
"My mom would _kill_ me!"

"Then stay in tonight and get some of it done before you're swamped on a Sunday night and end up with an F as your first grade in the book." Jessie worried his lip between his bottom teeth as he weighed the options. After a beat her slowly nodded his assent, eyes downcast.  
"Sorry to skip out on you Buffy, but it's really important that Jessie stays inside and studies _all night_."  
Buffy smiled understandingly. Willow felt her throat constrict.

-_-_-

Jessie had shown up and made almost zero progress on his project, but Willow was just glad he wasn't at the Bronze becoming a vampy hors d'oeuvre. When the clock struck ten, Willow sent him on his way and went to bed.

-_-_-

The next day at school was easily one of the worst of her life. When she arrived no one would make eye contact with her and they whispered as she passed. Suddenly she was engulfed in a Xander sized hug. Willow wheezed as the air was  smooshed out of her by his arms around her ribs. He stepped back and wiped tears from his eyes.

"Xander what's wrong? Are you okay? What's going on!?"

He looked taken aback at her cluelessness and grabbed her hand, dragging her outside behind the school.

"They found him last night. It was a hit and run, no one saw what happened..."  
Xander kept talking but his words pooled together in her head as a blurred mush of sound. She shook her head slowly, realizing who he was talking about. She hadn't been able to save him, not in the original timeline, not now. Willow felt like her heart was being poked apart like a pincushion. She was useless at hindsight save-age.

A realization dawned on her not long after. Since she and Xander hadn't been at the Bronze with Buffy, they hadn't found out the truth about how very real vampires and demons were. She could keep Xander out of Buffy's slaying life and save him heartbreak and suffering and of course the eventual loss of his eye.

Willow furrowed her brow as this idea gained momentum in her head, snowballing into a plan. Her brain, satisfied with it, turned its metaphorical head back to face Xander.

He was looking at her oddly.

"What?" She frowned at him, he shook his head ruefully and wiped his eyes.  
"nothing"

-_-_-

School wasn't cancelled for Jessie. Kids die all the time on the Hellmouth. He was no different.


	4. You have fruit punch mouth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during Prophecy Girl

Willow lay on her bed, contemplating whether or not to make an appearance at the Spring Fling. Again.

Xander had asked Buffy, just as before, and was rejected. He had then proceeded to ask Willow, who also turned him down. She didn't feel sorry for him this time because she knew that he and Buffy would grow closer as friends in the future than they ever would have otherwise.

They could grow close now, with Willow's knowledge of the future, she could protect Xander from Caleb. Anyway, keeping him in the dark about vampires was doing more harm than good. She had made the leap and told him about Buffy, about demons and monsters, but not about her. She might not ever tell him.

Willow was dreading the inevitable attack by the Master, Buffy's death and resurrection, and the first battle with the all too familiar hellmouth demon. She shivered, remembering her first encounter.

The creature has sprouted from the library floor, grabbed her ankle, and tried to eat her and Miss Calender. The library! Oh goddess, those kids were gonna be murdered tonight! She hurriedly got dressed, pulled on Angel's duster, grabbed a few stakes, and ran to the school.

She snuck along the hallway, glancing around furtively and straining her ears to catch any sounds of danger. She didn't have to wait long.

Five students tore through the hallways at a breakneck pace, three vampires on their tails. "WILLOW! RUN!" Three voices chorused and she barely avoided being trampled. Once the kids were out of range, Willow turned, placing her hands on her hips and grinning wickedly at the approaching vamps who had slowed their pace upon scenting the witch.

"Hello boys" she crooned. "You're just the 'people' I wanted to see. I've been working on this new recipe, and I needed someone to try it. Careful, it's a little... hot." She conjured three fireballs and hurled them at the vampires. The fireballs hit their marks and they went up in flames, screaming and writhing on the tiles.

Willow turned on her heel to come face to face with five wide eyed students. "Hi guys" She greeted feebly. They screamed and ran. She cursed under her breath and quietly muttered a memory wipe spell.

-_-_-

Willow rushed to Angel's, knocking frantically on the door. It swung open a moment later.  
"Who the hell are you?" Angel asked, baffled by the redhead's appearance at this hour. She realized they hadn't met before tonight and that she would have a _lot_  of explaining to do.  
"Willow. Need. Help. Master. Lair. Where?" She asked, a gasp for air following each word. Sensing the urgency in her voice, he grabbed his coat and her hand, leading her to the crypt at a breakneck pace.

She and Angel spotted Buffy's body laying face down in the dirty water. Angel made a small strangled noise in the back of his throat and ran over to check her for signs of life.  
"She's dead."  
"Yep." Willow replied and knelt by Buffy's body and began CPR. Angel seemed taken aback by her nonchalance. A few moments later Buffy was coughing and spluttering.  
"Angel?"  
"Buffy!" They proceeded to make with the smoochies.  
Willow sighed. "That's very romantic and all but we've a prior engagement to attend to."

"Willow? What're you doing here?"

"I'll explain later, you've got a Master to dust."

They sprinted to the library.

-_-_-

"What about him?" Miss Calender asked hesitantly, indicating the skeleton of the Master.  
"He's not going anywhere. Loser." Buffy replied, glaring distainfully at what remained of their once formidable enemy. Evil defeated, Buffy's mind seemed to return to the moments before the battle. "So, Willow, you've got some explaining to do." Willow swallowed hard. "It's a long story, but I-" her mind flopped like a fish on a dry beach. How would they trust her? How could she possibly know what she does about demons and magic? "I... work for the watcher's council!" Giles' mouth popped open. Buffy peered at her for a moment, and shrugged. "I guess that makes sense. Are you undercover here or something?" Gile closed his mouth into a tight line, crossing his arms. Willow nodded, a story taking form in her mind. "I was sent to watch over both of you while the relocation took place. I had to blow my cover to save you tonight, Buffy" Giles' face relaxed somewhat. Willow realized how tired she really felt and decided it was time to wrap things up. "Any further questions must be submitted in writing. Let's get out of here." She nodded at Buffy who made her way to the door. The others followed, leaving Willow alone in the library.

As soon as the door swung shut, she whipped out a ziplock bag and swept the dusty remains into it. She labelled the bag with a sharpie and tucked it into her pocket. Sunnydale was safe, for now.


	5. Daddy's home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back in town

 

 

 

> A distant rumbling grew louder and louder, waking some of the more sensitive Sunnydale residents. A pitch black 1959 Desoto Fireflite sped along the highway, and straight through the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign. Music blared loudly from the car as the door opened.
> 
> A bleach blonde adoness clad entirely in black, save for a red silk shirt, stepped out. The flare of a lighter illuminated his inhuman features. He spoke softly, his accent implying English origin.

  
" _Home sweet home_ "

-_-_-

"Sheila's a no show?" Willow asked, already aware of the answer.  
Buffy nodded.  
"Can you help me cram some French  
tonight? I don't want Mr. DeJean  
telling my mother I'm an ' _imbecile_ '" Buffy asked Willow.  
"I thought we were going to the Bronze  
tonight. 'Cause of how you thought  
Angel might show."  
"If he does he'll meet some other nice  
girl. Studying comes first." Xander replied jealously.  
"We're going to the Bronze. I can study  
and party and do parent teacher night  
and make my mother proud as long  
as I don't have to…" upon seeing Giles and Miss Calender approach, her mood deflated  
"…fight vampires."

"...There's nothing in the Chronicles  
about an extraneous lunar cycle." Giles stated condescendingly.  
"The Order never accurately calculated  
the Mesopotamian calendar! Rupert,  
you have to read something that was  
published AFTER 1066." Jenny replied exasperatedly.  
"What's the up, guys?" Xander asked.  
"I don't suppose this is something  
about happy squirrels?"  
"Vampires." Giles replied.  
Buffy frowned "That was my next guess."  
"Miss Calendar has been researching...  
surfing on her computer. According to  
her calendar, this Saturday is the  
Night of Saint Vigeous."  
"Lemme guess. He didn't make balloon  
animals."  
"He led a crusade. Of vampires. They  
swept through Edessa, Harran, and  
points east." Giles sighed  
"They didn't leave much behind." Miss Calender  
Willow tuned them out at that point and began planning how to help Thursday.  
"...Saturday will require a great deal of  
preparation." Giles' voice pulled her from her thoughts.  
"Well, we'll help." Willow said, remembering this part.  
"Yeah! I can whittle stakes!" Xander said his line just as before. Some things never change.  
"And I can research stuff."  
Xander turned to Willow.  
"And while I'm whittling, I plan to  
whistle a jaunty tune."  
Giles rolled his eyes at Xander  
"Your help will be appreciated. But  
when it comes to battle, Buffy must  
be prepared to fight alone. You are,  
after all, a slay-"  
Principal Snyder approached, glaring suspiciously. Giles adjusted his speech  
"slay…ve. Slave. You're all slaves  
to the… television. You young  
people nowadays. Goodbye."  
Giles and Jenny rushed off. Snyder turned to Xander and Willow.  
"You wouldn't be helping Buffy in  
Sheila's place would you?"  
Xander hid his brush behind his back.  
"No."  
"We're hindering." Willow replied, trying to hide her smile after remembering watching him get eaten.  
"She ditched. Mmm-mmmm, I feel an  
expulsion coming on." Snider said, rocking back on his heels.  
Buffy to the rescue "She's been helping for hours. She's just out getting more paint…"  
Buffy followed Snyder's gaze to the door as Sheila stumbled in, dark glasses and old party dress in place. Buffy rushed to Sheila, guiding her to the banner.

"No more teal in the art room?" Buffy asked innocently. "I know  
you wanted it to be perfect, but let's  
just keep going with what we've got"  
  
"Just make sure everything is perfect  
on Thursday." Snyder gave them one last glare and stalked from the hall

-_-_-

Buffy sat across from Willow at the Bronze, brow furrowed in concentration.  
"La vache doit me touche de la jeudi" Buff said in halting French.  
Willow bit her lip.  
"Is that wrong? Should I use the plural?"  
"No, but… you just said that 'the cow  
should touch me from Thursday'." Willow replied slowly.  
"Well, maybe that's what I was feeling." Buffy said, shrugging.  
"And you said it wrong."  
"Oh. Je stink." Buffy's shoulders slumped, a frown clouding her features.

"You're just not focused. It's because you miss Angel." Willow assured her, cringing at what she had said the first time. She didn't understand the Scoobies' obsession with adding '-age' to everything.  
"Well he didn't say for sure, it was  
a maybe see you there kind of deal." Buffy swept the perimeter furtively.

Xander appoached them, still swaying to the beat "Guys! I'm all alone out there!  
Somebody has to dance with me."  
"Well, we're studying…"  
"Come on, one dance! You've been  
studying for nearly twelve minutes!" Xander pleaded.  
"No wonder my brain is fried." Buffy said, pulling Xander with her to the dance floor.

Willow made her way to the bar.

Despite the overwhelming sensations of people dancing, the music blaring, and the flashing strobe lights, Willow could sense something was wrong. She glanced to her left and made eye contact with a certain vampire who would cause them immeasurable trouble the following night.

-_-_-

He was just minding the Slayer's business, watching her friends dance from the bar. A boy and a girl, Spike hadn't seen this new slayer yet and figured he would be able to tell with just a glance. He was wrong. The moment he stepped into the club, he knew. It came off the redhead in waves, making him lightheaded.

"Did you hear me?" A voice broke his reverie.

It belonged to a petite woman who seemed intent on getting his attention. 

"No, what can I do for you?" He smelled a meal.

"I asked 'what's a guy like you doing in a place like this?'" Spike leered.The stool to his right made a dull scraping noise as someone pulled it out.

"Just looking for a bite" someone snorted. He jerked his head around. Spike caught her eyes and his skin prickled. The redhead. She looked at him with a strange _knowing_. He frowned. She held his gaze for a beat, and looked away. The prickling subsided.

"What's so funny?" He glared, the meal had moved on. 

"What you said." 

"How so?" He replied testily.

"I think we both know." They were interrupted by a crash and the sounds of a fight. Spike spotted one of his minions in the fray and knew he had to stop it before his big entrance was obershadowed. When he turned back, the slayer was gone.

He approached his companion, pulling him off a human. 

"Go get something to eat" The tall vampire grinned and followed orders. Spike continued across the floor to stand behind the "slayer" and her friends. He spoke seemingly to someone else, but loud enough for the slayer to hear "Where's a phone? I need to call the police. There's some big guy out back trying to bite someone!"

He quickly made his way into the alley, concealing himself in the shadows, chuckling quietly under his breath. The blonde girl he had seen earlier emerged first and pulled his companion off of his victim and started punching him.  
"Slayer." His companion said disdainfully. Slayer?! The idiot had it all wrong. The other girl was the slay-  
"Slayee" Shitshitshitshit. They began fighting again. The redhead and her friend emerged.  
"Get her out of here!" The slayer ordered them, shoving the victim at the boy and pinning the vampire against the wall. "And" _punch_ "a stake" _punch_ "would be nice!" _Punch_ _punch_ _punch_.

The boy and the redhead rushed inside. Spike watched, intrigued, as the vampire finally knocked the slayer down.  
"I don't need to wait for Saint Vigeous, you're mine!"  
The club door slammed open and the slayer caught the stake the boy had thrown to her. His companion panicked.

"Spike, give me a hand!"  
Spike chuckled darkly under his breath, watching the show with no intention of "giving him a hand". He found himself meeting "Red"'s eye, she had spotted him when the other vampire called out. With a scream, his companion turned to dust. It was time for the Big Finish.

He emerged dramatically from the shadows, applauding the slayer slowly  
"nice work babe"  
"Who are you?" Buffy asked, glaring.  
"You'll find out on Saturday" he smirked.  
"What happens on Saturday?"   
"I kill you." He replied, furrowing his brow as he watched the redhead mouth his exact words as he said them, rolling her eyes. He jumped the fence and ran into the shadows.


	6. School Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parent teacher night has gone awry

"Spike? That's what the other vampire called him?" Giles asked "It's a little unorthodox"  
"Maybe he's reformed" Buffy offered  
"He may have gone by a different name in times past" Giles wondered aloud  
"...William the Bloody" Willow mumbled  
"What?" Xander asked  
"His name was William the Bloody" Willow repeated. Giles began frantically paging through the books. Willow began counting down in her head. 6...  
"Well, there you are…" Giles mumbled to himself.  
"There who is?" Miss Calender asked. 5...  
"Our new friend Spike. 'Known as  
William the Bloody, earned his nickname  
by torturning his victims with railroad  
spikes…'" 4... "Ahh, but here's some good  
news, he's barely two hundred, not even  
as old as Angel… oh…"  
He frowned. 3...  
"That's a bad look, right?" Xander asked meekly. 2...  
"Spike has fought two Slayers  
in the last century. And killed them both."  
"So he's bad, then" 1...  
"At least as bad as the Master" Giles replied  
"Worse." Willow and Angel's voices chorused. The vampire had decided to make an appearance, and seemed stunned by Willow's prediction of his words. Willow just smirked at him.

-_-_-

Parent teacher night was nearly over and Willow was mentally preparing for the battle ahead.  
"Car. Now." She heard Joyce order Buffy and slipped into a fighting stance. For a moment she considered pulling the fire alarm and evacuating, but changed her mind when she remembered that Spike's lackeys had surrounded the building.

Suddenly the aforementioned lackeys crashed through the windows. A familiar voice echoed through the halls.  
"What can I say? I couldn't wait."

-_-_-

She had managed to herd everyone into the library, and escaped out the stacks to get Angel and take care of the perimeter vamps. She hurried to his apartment and explained what was going on, dragging him by the arm the whole time

They reached the front of the school.  
"Angel, you take the left and I'll go right, meet me back here when you're done." She turned to start her circuit.  
"Willow, I can't let you fight these vampires alone." Angel stood in front of her, arms crossed, blocking her path. She tried sidestepping him, he moved in front of her again. "Willow I'm serious."  
"So am I. Look, if you really want you can follow me, but it'll take longer."  
"Fine"

She pushed past him, conjuring a fireball in her left hand. He slowed a little, suddenly cautious of the girl.  
"Willow..."  
"What?" She turned around, rolling her eyes.  
"How did you learn how to do that?"  
Her eyes widened, she had forgotten all about the fact that she could only float a pencil at this point.  
"Practice?"  
He raised an eyebrow  
"It's none of your business anyw-" She cut off her defense to throw the fireball in his direction. Angel ducked in time, but the vampire behind him was not so lucky. The vamp screamed and turned to dust.  
"Hey!" Angel turned back to Willow.  
"What?"  
"A little warning next time!?"  
"Aw fuck off ya big baby." She turned, conjured another fireball, and sauntered off. Angel just stared, dumbfounded.

After finishing the sweep, they returned to the front doors, using Willow as a decoy in Angel's plan this time instead of Xander. When Spike realized it was a ploy and called his lackeys, Willow spun around and flamed them, narrowly missing Spike.

"BLOODY HELL, WITCH!"

He shouted and lashed out with a metal rod he had been using. It connected with the side of her head and a white bolt of pain arched across her vision. His eyes widened, a spark of recognition shifting them back to their usual blue.

"Red?" Spike's voice was the last thing she heard before the world faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know Willow would never tell Angel to fuck off or whatever, but she's a different Willow from that of the TV series.


	7. Halloween

She opened her eyes slowly.  
"Willow?" A distant voice called to her. "Willow!"  
"Xander?"  
"Wills are you ok? How do you feel? Do you need something? What can I get you? Water? Tissue? Aspirin?"  
"Xander I'm fine" she shifted to sit up and winced "but aspirin sounds pretty good right about now." Xander rushed off to get a nurse and Willow slept.

She left the hospital the following afternoon. They all met up in the library that night for a Scoobie meeting.  
"Willow I'm so sorry. I should have-" Willow cut Angel off, holding up her hand.  
"Angel, it's not your fault, there wasn't much you could've done. Anyways I'm fine and no one died this time." He seemed mollified for the moment.

"So, Angel, what do you know about Spike?" Buffy prodded gently.  
"I travelled with him for about a hundred or so years, since I turned him. He and Drusilla were both my childer and bonded instantly, he's her protector and literal blood brother. If you want to get to Spike, go through Drusilla. Be careful though, she may be weak and crazy, but she's still a vicious killer." Angel took a deep and unneeded breath.

"We most likely won't have to worry about him for a while, however. Halloween is approaching and nothing ever happens on Halloween, however ironic that may sound." Giles spoke softly, obviously sensing the pain in Angel's voice at remembering his demon days.

"Great, finally a night off to go Bronzin' without having to save any damsels or dams...men...in distress!" Buffy clapped her hands and bounced up and down. Willow remembered the fiasco to ensue and winced. But hey, at least she would know how to stop it.

-_-_-

It truly was chaos, Ethan would be proud. Willow ran alongside Giles to get to Ethan's shop and destroy the relic that had caused the whole mess.  
"Giles, it's Ethan Rayne in there. You distract him while I destroy the statue of Janus." Willow spoke in a calm voice, wary of his reaction. Willow knew of his... dramatic past with the man.  
"Alright, hurry." Giles replied in hushed tones.

-_-_-

She was so scared, so small, and so utterly helpless. It was intoxicating.  
"Look at you. Shaking, terrified.  
Alone. Lost little lamb." He could see tears in her eyes. He was giddy, he knew he probably wouldn't get her in this position again anytime soon and decided to make the most of it. _Let's see what happens when I do.. **this**!_ Her head jerked to the side as it met the back of his hand in a brutal slap.

"I love it." Spike grinned, revealing razor sharp fangs. He was going to enjoy killing her while the Poof watched. Grabbing her hair, he yanked her head back and bared her neck, going in for the kill. Xander broke free and aimed at Spike.  
"Now THAT guy, you can shoot." _Red? She's alive?_

Spike braced for an attack but none came. He looked around him to see that his lackeys had turned back into scared little trick or treaters and some bigger kids. Realization hit him like a sack of bricks. He looked at his hand. It still held Buffy's wig, but her head wasn't in it. He looked back at Buffy, who was now smiling. Shit.

"Hi Honey. I'm home."  
He then received a _royal_  ass kicking.


	8. Red?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lie to me

"I don't know. I don't think so -- I mean,  
they seemed pretty friendly." Buffy said glumly  
Xander bounded up to them in his usual fashion  
"Who's friendly?"  
"No one." Buffy replied, suddenly defensive  
"Angel and a girl." Willow supplied.  
"Will, do we have to be in total  
share mode?"  
"Hey, it's me. If Angel's doing something  
wrong I need to know. 'Cause it gives  
me a happy." Xander grinned.  
"I'm glad someone has a happy." Buffy grumbled  
"Aw, you just need cheering up. And  
I know just the thing." He began a small seizure that was apparently supposed to be dancing  
"Crazed dance party at the Bronze!"  
"I don't know..." Buffy frowned  
Xander's moves decreased in wildness  
"Very calm dance party at the Bronze." He stilled completely  
"Moping at the Bronze." He looked defeated  
"I'd suggest a box of Oreos dunked in  
apple juice…but maybe she's over  
that phase." Came an all-too familiar voice behind them. Willow stiffened. Billy Fordham.

Buffy turned around, realizing the identity of the speaker.  
"Ford?"  
She threw her arms around him  
"Ford!"  
"Hey, Summers. How you been?"  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Matriculating."  
"Huh?"  
"I'm finishing out my senior year at  
Sunnydale High. Dad got transferred."  
"That's great!"  
"I'm glad you think so. Wasn't sure  
you'd remember me."  
"Remember you? Duh, we were in school  
together for seven years. You were my  
giant fifth grade crush. Remember?"  
"So, you two know each other?" Xander piped up  
"Oh! I'm sorry. This is Ford. Uh, Billy  
Fordham. This is Xander and Willow." Buffy practically fell over herself introducing them  
"Hi." Xander greeted him, unamused  
"Hey." Ford replied and turned to Willow holding out his hand. She just looked at him. Buffy shifted her weight from one foot to the other, clearly uneasy and Ford dropped his hand.  
"Ford and I went to Hemery together, in L.A." Buffy continued, turning to Ford she asked "And you're here? For real?"  
"Dad got the transfer, boom -- just  
dragged me out of Hemery and put  
me down here."  
"This is great! I mean, It's hard, sudden  
move, all your friends, delicate time  
very emotional but let's talk about me  
this is great!" Buffy was ecstatic  
Willow rolled her eyes  
"So you guys were sweeties in fifth grade?"  
"Not even. Ford wouldn't give me  
the time of day." Buffy's smile faltered upon seeing Willow's reaction.  
"Well, I was a manly sixth grader,  
couldn't be bothered with someone  
that young."  
Buffy stifled a giggle  
"It was terrible. I moped over you for  
months. Sitting in my room listening  
to that Divinyls song, 'I touch myself'." She admitted, blushing  
"Of course, I had no idea what it was about..."  
Willow laughed  
"It's fun to meet someone who knew  
Buffy from before she was the --"  
Catching Buffy's glare, she revised her sentence  
"-- the here-being girl."  
Xander was about as excited as Willow  
"Yeah, it's fun."  
Buffy suddenly turned to face Ford.  
"Hey! Are you busy tonight?"  
"I'm hoping you'll tell me that I am." He replied, boyish grin in place. Willow wanted to wipe it of his face with a...  
"We're going to the Bronze. It's the  
local club and you gotta come." Buffy interrupted her potentially gruesome thought.  
"I'd love to, but if you guys had plans -  
would I be imposing?" Back to humility again, man, this guy sure knew how to play the game.  
"Only in the literal sense." Xander replied, glaring  
"You're coming. I have spoken."  
"Okay, then. I gotta find the admissions  
office, get my papers in order."  
"I'll walk you. See you guys in French."  
Ford turned back to them  
"Good meeting you." He trotted off after Buffy. When he was out of earshot, Xander huffed.  
"'This is Ford, my bestest friend of all  
my friends. Jeez. Doesn't she know  
any fat guys?"

-_-_-

Later that night she and Xander were sitting with Ford, who was weaving an interesting yarn.  
"Hey, you got here." Buffy approached them  
"Wasn't that hard to find."  
Willow spoke up, breaking the trance  
"Buffy, Ford was just telling us about  
the ninth grade beauty contest. And the,  
uh, swimsuit competition?"  
Buffy paled  
"Oh, God. Ford! Stop that! The more  
people you tell about it, the more  
people I have to kill."  
Ford grinned  
"You can't touch me, Summers. I know  
all your darkest secrets."  
Xander rolled his eyes,  
"Care to make a small wager on that?"  
"I'm gonna grab a soda. Ford, try not to talk." They watched Buffy approach the bar and greet someone there. They stepped into the light, it was Angel.  
"Who's that guy she's talking to?" Ford asked  
"That's Angel."  
"He's Buffy's beau. Her special friend." Xander chuckled under his breath at the look of defeat on the boy's face.  
"He's not in school, right? He looks  
older than her."

  
"You're not wrong" Xander replied, a distant look on his face.

-_-_-

Buffy had just escaped the clutches of Spike's lackeys, Drusilla, and the man himself. She arrived at Willow's and told her everything. How Ford wasn't her friend after all, his illness, Spike's involvement, and her narrow escape.

Willow listened, all the while wondering how Spike had gotten out of the vault the first time. She couldn't remember him mentioning it, but it seemed unnecessarily cruel to leave him there. Besides, he would become their ally soon enough and the last thing Willow needed was for Spike to hate them more than he already did.

After Buffy left, Willow changed into her blackest outfit. Which wasn't as difficult as it had once been. She had taken to wearing more black since she came back. Pulling on her coat, she made her way silently to the Sunset Club.

Upon getting within a hundred yards of the club, she could hear Spike shouting at his minions. She searched the area for a good hiding place. Spotting a particularly dark alley, she concealed herself and with little difficulty opened the door.

Twenty or so vampires spilled out and took off towards the warehouse lair. Drusilla drifted off among them, leaving Spike walking slowly behind. The others had been so happy to escape they had failed to wonder who had let them out.

Spike, however, was clever and suspicious. He sniffed the air once, twice, and slowly approached the alley.  
"Might as well come out, Red. I can smell you." He called softly.

She stood silently and slid her leg back into a fighting stance.  
"Spike."  
"Red."  
He raised his lighter to the cigarette positioned between is lips. It's light illuminated his smiling face. She was immediately suspicious.

"Normally" he paused to take a long drag on his fag "on a night like this, in a dark alley with the Big Bad, most humans would be so afraid they'd piss themselves."  
He tilted his head, and Willow was reminded of a puppy trying to figure out where the ball had gone after his master had "thrown" it.

"Not you though. Why is that do you suppose?"  
"Because I'm not afraid."  
His smile dropped into a frown  
"Why not!" He sounded like a toddler being denied a cookie. She slowly walked towards him, wary even though she knew she could do him some serious damage.

As if in answer to his question she lit up a fireball in her right hand, making it green for effect. It seemed to make an impression and he took a step back.  
"No fair"

Willow smiled and extinguished the fire. He was on her in a second, pinning her against the alley wall behind her. He was thoroughly pissed off.  
"Threaten me like that again..." He said, dropping his cigarette and crushing it under his boot.  
"...and I kill everyone you love, starting with your best pal Xapper."

She stared him down, completely unaffected.  
"Get in line."  
He clenched his jaw, fuming  
"You really piss me off, you know that?"  
She raised an eyebrow

He growled in frustration and pushed off of her, slamming her head against the wall in the process. He could smell the blood when the not quite healed wound from Parent Teacher Night reopened.  
"Hmmm..." He peered at her, licking his lips. Her eyes widened.

"Spike..." She warned, her voice wavered.  
"Wonder what you taste like, all that magic and fire... Shall we find out?" He chuckled softly and caught her arms, pulling her against him. She went ramrod straight, feeling a certain.. er... interest forming. 

She closed her eyes, concentrating. Her skin sizzled and he jumped away.  
 ** _"What Is It With You And Fire!?"_**  
Willow shrugged, returning to her normal temperature, and turned to leave.

"I'm not finished with you." He called after her "why'd you let me out?"  
She stopped, turning and planting her hands on her hips.  
"You'll see." She replied cryptically and faded into the shadows.

"Who does she think she is? The Poof?"  
He muttered under his breath and stalked away.


	9. Something old, something new, something evil, and also blue

"Can I open one? Can I?" Drusilla asked, giggling  
"Just a peek, love. They're for the party" Spike replied, smirking despite the burn that marred half his face. "Do you like it?"  
"Oh, it reeks of death. This will be the best party ever." She said, looking into the box.  
"Why's that?" Spike asked, tilting his head.  
"Because it will be the last..." She replied, and slammed the lid of the box shut.

-_-_-

She saw Oz sitting on a picnic table, strumming his guitar softly. Her heart clenched, remembering their tentative courting, loving relationship, and heart-wrenching breakup.  
"Hey." Oz greeted her as she approached.  
"Hey." She replied.  
"Do you have a... a gig tonight?" She asked, remembering the awkward sweetness of their first expressions of "like-like" feelings  
"Practice. The band's kind of moving towards this new sound where we suck. So, practice." He replied, slightly deflated.  
"I think you guys sound good." She offered. He shifted uncomfortably, "I'm gonna ask you if you wanna go out tomorrow night. I'm actually kind of nervous about it. It's interesting." He finally said.

Her heart dropped into her stomach, he looked so vulnerable. He was throwing his neck out here, and she was gonna have to turn him down. Suddenly, she remembered Buffy's birthday and found her escape.

"Actually I can't, it's Buffy's birthday and we're throwing this big party and being her friend and all it's kind of an obligation." She fisted her hands in the hem of her shirt.  
"Oh, ok. Maybe later?" He asked, smiling.  
"Sure." She smiled warmly and made her way across the grass, internally at war with herself over him.

Goddess, she was turning into Buffy.

-_-_-

They laid in wait with baited breath, except for one of them of course. They didn't have to wait long, however, and their beloved Buffy came crashing through the window. Stake in hand and vampire in tow. They fought for only a moment and she dusted him quickly. She turned back to the shocked faces of Giles, Willow, Angel, and Xander. The silence lasted about ten seconds, until Cordelia popped out from behind the table.  
"Surprise!"  
"Buffy, are you okay?" Angel asked  
"Yes - what happened?" Giles was also confused.  
"There were these vamps in the alley.  
And one of Dru's guys was-" She stopped, noticing the decorations "What's going on?"  
"Surprise party." Giles replied lamely  
"Yeah, happy birthday." Cordelia offered. Buffy was suddenly ecstatic  
"You guys did all this for me? You are so sweet!" She said, turning to Angel  
"You're sure you're okay?" He asked  
"I'm fine."

The moment was broken by Miss Calendar's arrival, she was toting a large box.  
"Can somebody give me a hand here?"  
Angel and Giles moved to help her put the box down on a table.  
"Those creeps left this behind." She said, gesturing to the box.  
"What is it?" Buffy asked Giles  
"I have no idea. Can it be opened?"  
Buffy moved to the box, and ran her hands under the lid.

"It feels like it has some kind  
of release... There."  
Buffy slowly lifted the lid. Suddenly Willow remembered this box.  
"Buffy look out!" She yelled, and Buffy jumped back a second before the arm lunged at her.

-_-_-

"More music!" Drusilla's voice echoed through the warehouse. She danced down the stairs, rocking slightly out of time with the music. She was radiant, and he was practically humming with excitement for what was to come. Spike rolled up to her in his wheelchair, box in his lap.  
"Look what I have for you, ducks!" He called  
"Ah, the best is saved for last!" She turned, grabbing the box and setting it into place. The boxes glowed with a bright flash of energy and opened to reveal a giant blue demon. Spike was mildly unsettled by the lack of color in his beady eyes, but quickly pushed it away as the judge drew near.  
"He's perfect, my darling. Just what I wanted." Drusilla said softly.  
"You..." The judge lifted his hand toward them ominously. _Hold on there buddy..._  
"Ho! Ho! What's that, mate?" He asked angrily  
"You two stink of humanity.  
You share affection. Kinship..." The judge continued.  
"Yeah, what of it? Do I have to remind  
you that we're the ones that brought you here?" Spike was quick with a retort  
"I have no alliances."  
"Right then. You want to go back in the little boxes?" He raised a scarred brow at the judge, who appeared to be weighing the pros and cons of killing them.  
"You may live. You will help me serve my purpose."  
"Works for me." Spike grinned  
Dru moved to the Judge and pointed to the assembled party guests, who had gathered to watch.  
"Would you like a party favor?"  
The judge nodded and scanned the crowd, his eyes landing on Dalton.  
"This one - is full of feeling... He reads." The judge said, obviously disgusted.  
"Bring him to me."  
"What's with the bringing, mate? I thought you could just... zap people." Spike asked, getting the strangest feeling he had been here before.  
"My full strength will return, in time.  
Until then - I need contact." He answered.  
Dalton begged for his unlife, but it was in vain.  
"Silence..." The Judge commanded  
Dalton began to shake and smolder. When the judge touched him, his skin started to smoke and blacken. After only a few seconds, he turned to dust.

Drusilla jumped up and down. Clapping her hands like a small child who had been shown their first magic trick.  
"Do it again! Do it again!"


	10. "What's That Do?"

The big blue bastard was just sitting there, staring off into space, not even acting MILDLY evil. This was getting ridiculous. He had been driven near crazy trying to get all his little bits in a row, but the only thing the pansy was good for was burning up his minions to amuse Drusilla.

Spike turned his chair towards Drusilla. "I'm not happy, pet. Angel and the Slayer are still alive, they know where we are, they know about the Judge. We should be vacating."  
"Nonsense." Dru comforted him. "They'll not disturb us here. My Angel is too smart to face the Judge again."  
"What's Big Blue up to, anyway? He just sits there."  
The Jude seemed to have heard him and replied gruffly.  
"I am preparing."  
Spike turned  
"Yeah, it's interesting to me that preparing looks a great bit like sitting on your arse. When do we destroy the world already?"  
"My strength grows. And every life I take will increase it further."  
"So let's take some! I'm bored!"  
"I fought an army. They hacked me to pieces. For six hundred years my living head lay in a box buried in the ground. I've learned to be patient."  
"Yeah, well, we're gonna need more  
than patience if Angel and the Slayer are-"  
Dru cried out, seemingly in a great deal of pain.  
"Dru?!"  
"Angel..."  
"Dru! What is it? DRU!"  
She was breathing hard. Spike wheeled up to her.  
"Darling, do you see something?" She jerked her head to face him, looking right through him, and smiled.

-_-_-

Willow, Miss Calendar, Cordelia, and Giles were deep in research mode when the double doors slammed open. 

"Well, the bus station was a total washout and may I say what a _fine_ place to spend the night! What a _vibrant_ cross section of Americana." Xander yelled, entering the library in a dramatic fashion  
"You saw no vampires transporting boxes?" Giles asked, glancing up from his tome.  
"No, but a 400 pound wino offered to wash my hair..." Xander replied. Seeing their expressions, he changed the subject  
"What's up? Where's Buffy?" He craned his neck, searching.  
"She never checked in." Willow answered  
"Neither did Angel." Cordy added flatly  
"And if the bus station was as  
empty as the docks and the airport..."  
"You think this Judge guy might already be assembled?" Xander ventured uneasily. Giles nodded.  
"Then Buffy could... We gotta find  
them! We gotta go to that place,  
that factory. That's where they're  
holed up, right? Let's go!"  
"And do what?" Cordelia asked, arms akimbo "Besides be afraid and die."  
"Nobody's asking you to go, Cordy.  
If the vampires need grooming tips,  
we'll give you a call." Cordelia glared at him.  
"Cordelia has a point. If Buffy and Angel were... harmed, we don't stand to fare much better." Jenny gestured widely. What could a group of teenagers (all non slayers) and two teachers do against this supposed World Ender?  
"Yeah, well those of us who were born with feelings are gonna do something about this." He spun on his heel and made to leave.  
"Xander..." Jenny warned  
"I'm sure they're fine, Xander." Willow cut in suddenly remembering this conversation.  
"How can you say that Will?!" Xander practically shouted. "For all we know, Buffy's dead and Angel's dust! We have to go to the factory and TRY to rescue them!" He nearly jumped on the table.   
"What's all the yelling about?" At last, the woman of the hour.  
"Hey Buffy. We were just coming to rescue you. Well, _some_ of us were." Why did Xander always have to be so stubborn when it was about Buffy? Thank god he would be with Cordelia soon. She was supposed to find out about them this week and be shocked. Wait, they're saying stuff now, pay attention Willow.  
"-researching, look for a weakness. You all should get to your classes." Giles finished  
They began making their way out of the library  
"I better go too. I'll get on the net and  
search for anything on the Judge." Jenny offered. Giles thanked her and turned toward the door  
"We'll stop in after classes, help you research." Xander tossed over his shoulder  
"Yeah, you might find something useful, if it's in an I-Can-Read book." Cordelia's way of flirting was unorthodox to say the least.

-_-_-

Spike addressed his henchmen.

"Soon as it gets dark, I want you  
patrolling the street. Plus two  
Men on the door and down in  
the tunnels at all times, is that  
clear? I don't want any more surprises."  
They all nodded and trickled out. Spike turned to Dru, who was laying on her back on the table.

"Are we feeling better, then?" He queried, voice molasses-sweet. She seemed a little out of it lately, best to be gentle.  
"I'm naming all the stars..." She replied, dreamily  
"Can't see the stars, love. That's  
the ceiling." Angelus had really done a number on the poor girl. He sighed.  
"Also, it's day."  
Drusilla giggled, never taking her eyes off the ceiling.  
"I can see them. But I've named them all the same name, and there's terrible confusion. I fear there may be a duel." She knew something.  
"Recovered, then, have we? Did you see any further? Do you know what happens to Angel?"  
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out of the darkness of the factory.  
"Well, he moves to New York and tries to fulfill that Broadway dream. It's tough sledding, but one day he's working in the chorus when the big star twists her ankle!"  
He stepped forward from the shadows as he spoke, smiling coldly. The cocky bastard.  
"Angel." Spike spat the name as if it was poison in his wine.  
"Still having trouble guarding your perimeter, brother? Your boys downstairs are going to wake up sore."  
"You don't give up, do you?"  
"As long as there is injustice in this world... As long as scum like you is walking - or, well, rolling - the streets, I'll be around. Look over your shoulder. I'll be there." He replied in his best heroic tone. Spike was close to just hauling off and socking the poof, but held back upon noticing a familiar blue demon exit the shadows behind him.  
"Yeah, uh, Angel... Look over _your_ shoulder." Angel turned, his eyes widening in fear. The Judge reached out and put his hand to Angel's chest. Angel began to shake. Finally, the bastard would get his just desserts.  
"Hurts, doesn't it?" Spike grinned.  
"Well, you know, it kind of itches a little." Angel replied coolly. The Judge seemed just as confused as everyone else.  
"Don't just stand there, burn him!" The stupid demon couldn't even kill the pansy!  
The Judge looked at his hand.  
"Gee, maybe he's broken." Angel was holding back a smile. What the hell is going on?!  
"What the hell is going on?!" Never let it be said Spike did not speak his mind.  
"Oh my..." Dru whispered, understanding apparent in her voice.  
"I cannot burn this one. He is clean." The Judge announced stoically. Wait a minute-  
"Clean? You mean he's -" Spike's stomach dropped.  
"There is no humanity in him." The Judge confirmed.  
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Angelus said, smirking.  
"Angel...?" Dru started toward him hopefully.  
"Yeah, baby. I'm back."

-_-_-

A dark figure slipped through the night, fading in and out of the shadows as if they belonged there. The moon reflected off the leather of their jacket as it flowed behind them. The light of a lone streetlamp revealed fiery red hair and pale skin.

She stopped in front of the magic shop and concentrated. The shop door opened with a small click and the jingle of a bell. She strode in, calling the orb to her along with some of the other key ingredients. Turning on her heel, she sauntered thought the door, shutting it with a wave of her hand.

Willow had never been one to steal, but this was slightly more important than that. She would make up for the cost by saving the world, again.

Willow hummed to herself. It seemed oddly comforting, even though she knew she wasn't really threatened by anything. Experienced vampires knew better than to challenge her just for a meal, and anything bigger, she could introduce to her vast array of scary hurty spells. A vision of Warren's last moments flashed through her mind and she had to brace herself against a shopfront window to keep from curling in on herself.

She squeezed her eyes shut as faces flashed behind her lids. Buffy's, Xander's, Giles', Faith's, and Dawn's were last. She slid down the wall, and rocked herself back and forth. She had to remember she had a second chance. _Someone ne_ brought her back for _some_ _reason_ and she eas going to make the most of it  
She steadied her breath and stood once again, resolve firmly in place.

She began waking again and dipped into her magic, sending out sonar-like waves to detect any magical threats. Sensing none, Willow continued onward. She turned into her driveway, unlocked the door and laid all the supplies out in the living room. Securing all the locks, she finally slumped onto her bed and fell into a fitful sleep. Plagued by nightmares of that fateful night, she got little sleep.

-_-_-

 After Willow "found out" about Cordy and Xander, she'd fled the library. She made her way through the lounge towards the hallway where she was nearly strangled last time.  
"Will!" Xander's voice echoed, cutting through the near-silence  
"WILLOW!" She stopped to let him catch up.  
"Hey."   
"Where are you going?"  
"Home."   
"Please come back. We can't do this without you."  
"I know, it's just... Weird I guess, but if she makes you happy, then I'm happy."  
"Willow, I just - wait, what?"   
"If you two really want to be together, then I won't get in the way." Willow shrugged.  
"Oh. Um..." He was at a loss for words, she decided to cut him some slack.  
"What about the Judge? Where do we stand?"  
"On a pile of really boring books  
that all say exactly the same thing."  
"Let me guess. 'No weapon forged-'"  
"It took an army..."  
"Yeah, where's an army when you need one?" She wondered aloud, waiting for the 'lightbulb moment'.  
"Wow. Wow. I think I'm having a thought.  
I am. I'm having a thought. And now I'm  
having a plan."  
The lights went out, and the fun began.  
"And now I'm having a wiggins."  
"Willow? Xander?" Angel- no, Angelus called.  
"Angel!" Xander called back.  
"Have you seen Buffy?"  
"Yeah. What's up with the lights?"  
"I don't know. Listen, I think I might have an idea-"  
"That doesn't matter now. I've got something to show you. Come here. And Xander, get the others."  
"Okay..." Xander ran down the hall.  
"Willow come he-"  
"Cut the crap, Angelus. I know it's you, and you know it's me. Who I am. What I can do. What I can do to _you_."  
His sickly sweet tone evaporated like hot water in the middle of June.  
"Alright then. Let's get this over with." Suddenly he was inches from her face, hand around her neck. His eyes, golden and glowing, stared into hers, daring her to fight back. A dare she gladly took, kneeing him in a more _sensitive_ area. He doubled over, his grip loosening. She pushed him away, calling up a flame and stepping back into a fighting stance.

"Willow..." He warned, trying to be threatening despite his wince. She smirked and flexed her fingers, sending a shower of sparks in Angel's direction. He leapt backward and straightened up, rolling his neck and flexing his shoulders.  
"That kinda hurt." He maintained his usual cocky tone, but seemed more cautious than before.

"WILLOW!" She heard Xander calling and turned, just in time to be caught in Angel's embrace, his arms wrapped around her neck like a vise. The cool fabric of his shirt pressed against her back. His cold breath skittered down her neck, giving her chills. She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek, a normally intimate gesture with a completely different intent. She felt her hand grow hot and his skin began to sizzle, but still he held tight, trying to keep the overall creepy mood intact. He tightened his grip and Willow cooled.

"Don't you do that..." Xander warned  
"Oh, I think I do that." Angel replied, resting his nose behind her ear.  
"Angel..." Xander's voice trailed off at the movement.  
"He's not Angel anymore. Are you?" Willow asked, feigning innocence  
"Wrong. I am Angel. Angelus. At last."  
"Oh my God..." He finally grasped what Angelus meant.  
"I've got a message for Buffy." Angel started  
"Then give it to me yourself."  
Buffy waltzed out of the darkness, the picture of nonchalance  
"Well, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends." Willow groaned inwardly at his dramatics.  
"This can't be you..."  
"We already covered that subject."  
Using this as a distraction, Xander stalked towards them, crucifix in hand.  
"Angel... there must be some part  
of you inside that remembers who you are." Buffy pleaded  
"Dream on, schoolgirl. Your boyfriend is dead, and you're all gonna join him."  
"Just leave Willow alone. Deal with me."  
"But she's so cute and helpless. It's really a turn on-" Willow had figured that one out by herself, and stiffened against him.  
Xander reached around and shoved the cross in Angel's face. Angel roared, releasing Willow. He knocked Xander to the ground and turned to grab Buffy.  
"Things are about to get very interesting." He said cryptically, and kissed her solidly. Throwing her to the ground, he strode out of the hallway, slamming the doors shut as he exited.  
"Buffy, are you okay?" Xander ran to her  
"Buffy?!"

-_-_-

She was waiting in the Dingoes' van, having managed to charm Devon into giving her and her friends a lift to a 'party'. Her comfort in her sexuality really came in handy when she needed something she couldn't just steal; like keys and a willing driver. Before, she would've had to ask Oz and there was no way she was going to put her heart on the line again.

The downside, however, was the whole 'Devon' part. He was starting to get on her nerves.  
"So... It's just us, in this comfy van, allll alone..." He made an attempt "Whacha wanna do?" It was exhausting.  
"I have a few ideas..." She replied, smoothly. Why not play along? He could be useful later.  
"Yeah?" He leaned in expectantly  
"Nah." Devon looked as though Hanukkah had been cancelled.

"Hey guys!" Xander's voice was hushed through the Walkie Talkie, but it was enough to pull Devon out of his stupor. Willow grabbed the radio  
"What's up?"  
"Can you open the van? Like, now."  
She quickly hit the locks, and crawled into the back. Pushing the doors open, she was greeted with a slightly disheveled Xander and Cordelia, and a large metal box. She jumped back just in time to avoid being crushed, and hopped into the front seat again. Once Xander and Cordy were safely stowed in the back, Willow gave the word and Devon sped off.

-_-_-

The Judge stepped forward as two vampires put a coarse, monkish robe around his shoulders.

"I am ready."  
Takes him longer than Dru...  
"'Bout time." Spike was impatient, his plan went into action tonight.  
The lady herself breezed in, excitement evident on her features. She placed herself on Spike's lap.

"Have a good time." He stroked her arm slowly, it was like petting marble.  
"You'll be able to hear the screams. I promise." Drusilla comforted him.

"Too bad you can't come with. We'll be thinking of you." The Great Poof joined in.  
"I won't be in this chair forever. What if your girlfriend shows up?" Spike leaned back, haughty.  
"I'm gonna give her a kiss." Angel flashed his impressive fangs at Spike as he passed the Judge  
"Don't you look Spiffy" Spike looked the Judge up and down, one eyebrow cocked. The Judge did not reply, choosing instead to make his exit.

He waited until they had all left to start out. He was gonna see a witch about some wheels.

-_-_-

She was standing outside the school, smoking. He chuckled inwardly, silly little girl, didn't she know those things would kill her? Unless the vampires, werewolves, and plethora of other demons didn't get to her first.

"Got a light?" He was hoping to get at least a slight skip in her heart rate, but nothing. She flicked open her lighter and held it out to him. He fumbled for a cigarette and lit up, leaning back in his chair and staring up at her.  
"What d'you want Spike?" She seemed tired.  
"Just a little spell. Nothing too difficult." She turned to face him, the embers illuminated her amused smirk.  
"You see, I got this little problem regarding my mobility or rather, lack therof." He said, gesturing to the chair.  
"I see, yes. Why would I want to help you though?" She quirked an eyebrow. Fair point.  
"Well, I happen to hate the new Angel just about as much as the old one and may be of more use to you as a walking man. Figuratively speaking of course." He gave her his most charming smile and hoped for the best. She seemed to consider it for a moment.  
"Alright."  
"Now hold o- wait, what?"  
"I said Alright."  
"Oh, expected more of a fight outta you. Lines blurring lately?" She gave him an icy stare. "Don't make me change my mind." He held up his hands in surrender. She began wheeling him down the path to the sidewalk.

-_-_-

"They're never gone for more than eight months anyway, it's not that bad."  
He and Willow had been walking, or rather wheeling and pushing, and talking on their way to her house. This girl had some serious issues.  
"Eight months?! I don't know about you, but where I'm from, that's kind of a long time." She sighed, turning onto a long street lined with generic houses and white picket fences.

"It's not like they act like parents when they're here anyway. I don't really miss them, and they don't miss me. I suppose I'm just an obligation to fulfill, y'know. Grow up, get married, buy a house in the suburbs, have a genius child, never worry about anything else until retirement." She gazed off into the distance, remembering when her mother had attempted to burn her at the stake.

"That's kind of fucked up, pet. I mean, I was close with my mother, she was my confidant, my only-" he stopped "until I killed her, of course." She looked down at him, brow creased. "Demon, remember?"  
She looked up again "We're here."  
"Huh?"  
"My house, we're here now."  
"Oh."  
She wheeled him up to the front door, unlocking it with some difficulty.  
"You gotta promise me one thing, ok?" She turned to him and attempted to push him over the threshold. "No biting."  
"Yes ma'am" he replied sarcastically in a southern drawl as she tried, unsuccessfully, to push him in.  
"Oh, duh." She turned, placing her hands on her hips. "Spike, I invite you in." He rolled his chair easily into the house, smirking when she huffed.

Her house was, in a word, artificial. The living room was sterile, the chairs and couch chosen for appearance rather than comfort or utility, few pictures lined the mantelpiece, vases with fake flowers were apparently a theme, and it was very cold; even for him. The only thing out of place was a bit of glass on the fireplace floor that winked at him as light flooded the room.

"How do you live here? It's like a magazine, but without the friendly actors and cardboard cutout dog." She shrugged and dumped her bag on the sofa, which didn't even crease. Thank god she had friends. Even the most sane person in the world would lose it all alone here, day after day, the only human interaction- she was saying something now, better listen up.

"-think I have everything I need, but I may have to run down to the magic shop." Was she gonna leave him here, all alone? Willow dug around in her bag for a while, ran upstairs, and came back down.

"Looks like everything's here." He wheeled over until he was right next to her, looking over her shoulder as she knelt on the carpet. Supplies were spread in a semicircle in front of them.  
"Do I have to do anything, pet?"  
"I have to be able to reach your back, so you might want to turn or lay down or something." He nodded, considering his options.  
"Think you can lift me?"  
"Probably."  
"How bout we do this one on the bed then." He offered, leering. She rolled her eyes and wheeled him into her parent's room, tugging him out of his chair and settling him gently on his stomach on the bed.

"Okay." She rubbed her hands together to warm them up a bit before easing his shirt off to reveal the burns and scars that marred his back, and sucked in a breath, concentrating all her energy into her hands. She set them gingerly on his back, and winced at his sharp and unnecessary intake of breath. She hummed softly to herself until the words started pouring out of her mouth like water from a fountain.

He twitched and gripped at the bedsheets as the burn marks melted away. When the power starting working inside however, he began to scream. She focused on the healing and taking away the pain as his bones mended themselves and shifted back into place. When she felt all was right with him again, she released him and slumped against the wall, breathing heavily. He was very still.

"Spike?" She asked, and received a loud groan in return. He turned his face just enough to smile at her, and promptly plopped back down on the pillow, completely sapped of energy. Willow sighed, pulling the covers up over him and pulling the heavy drapes over her parents' picture window.

After checking to see if he was really asleep, she curled up on the bed at a safe distance, the trek to her room seemed more insurmountable than a lark up Mount Everest. Spike rolled over, throwing an arm across her waist and pulling her in like a teddy bear. She sighed and relaxed into his grip, what was the harm? He'd promised not to bite her. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she heard a strange noise. Was he purring?


	11. Unbecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Becoming, part 1. I always loved Kendra...:(

Miss Calendar was dead, murdered by Angelus, again. Willow couldn't stop it as she didn't know where or when it had happened last time. All she knew was one moment Miss Calendar was walking around, flirting with Giles, teaching classes, and living her life; the next she's dead in Giles' house, neck broken and arranged beautifully with rose petals and champagne. Angelus was a vampire, a demon without a soul, a brutal sadist raised by Darla and The Master, but this was just- wrong. Willow's mind drifted involuntarily back to a memory of Faith in an all too similar position. She was crying again, tears rolled down her cheeks and plopped onto her calculus homework. The livingroom seemed to close in on her and the air felt stifling.  
Willow slammed her book shut and grabbed her shoes and Angel's coat. She pulled her hood up and started off towards the nearest cemetery, looking for a bit of a workout to take her mind off of... No, focus, don't cry. Be strong. Save the residents of Sunnyhell.  
Pulling her coat closer around her shoulders, Willow dropped the magic barriers used to ward off unfriendlies. Soon she could hear the faint echo of footsteps behind her. She sniffled and continued on, feigning ignorance.  
"What's got you down princess?" An English accent drawled in her ear. Spike?  
"How about we take you somewhere real nice-like and get you a drink?" He offered, apparently unaware of her identity. Willow's lip curled and she ignited a green fireball, tossing it behind her almost as an afterthought.  
" _Shit_!" he yelped and dove to the side, narrowly escaping becoming an inhuman torch. She continued on her way, reaching the cemetery gates when she heard him approach again.  
"Go away Spike" She growled at him  
"Close, but no cigar."  
Willow froze as the all-too familiar voice of Angelus echoed through the night. She turned around slowly, coming face to face or rather face to chest, with the vamp himself.  
"Have you heard my new plan yet? It's really evil, world-ending stuff." He looked like a little boy talking about his new toy car. Willow rolled her eyes.  
"So basically, it goes like this. After your little gypsy's death, I did some thinking. And I thought, hey, why don't I bring back a dead thing to take her place? You know, I read about this really cool demon called Acathla." Willow's fists clenched. "And he sounds just right for the occasion. He's gonna suck this whole place into hell; it'll be a party to end them all. Literally!" He was giddy, Willow was not.  
"Bored now." Willow turned on her heel and walked away. Knowing she was worried would only bring him greater satisfaction. Angel was either completely nuts or totally serious, but one thing was for certain: she was gonna stop him.

-_-_-

The girls were studying Chemistry in miss Calender's classroom after school, but Willow was distracted trying to remember where she had gotten the soul restoration spell from. She knew she couldn't just go pick up a copy at the local magic shop because it was ancient and lost, and even if she could find it, Willow didn't know what algorithm Janna used to translate it the first time.

Buffy was getting antsy. This was ridiculous, when was chemistry ever useful? She should just live the rest of her life out in a crypt, hook up some cable TV, put in some central heating, it would give her easy access to vamps and probably didn't cost any rent.  
"This doesn't make sense!" Buffy exclaimed, frowning. Willow checked over Buffy's work

"Well, sure it does, see-" Hmm, what does she not get about this? It's simple.  
"Oh, no, that doesn't make any sense."  
"It's senseless." Buffy was being cute, but if she was gonna pass chemistry they needed to buckle down. Willow rolled her eyes, stifling a smile.  
"Oh well. It doesn't matter. I mean,  
in the real world when am I ever  
gonna need to use chemistry, math,  
history or the English language?" Buffy wasn't really applying herself, but she was only sixteen and the most teenage girl Willow had ever met. If that made any sense... Oh, that's it!  
"I see your problem."  
"I'm a moron?"  
"Will you stop that? You're not stupid.  
You've just had a lot on your mind.  
You can do all of this real easily but  
if you're just gonna give up then  
don't waste my time." The words just flowed out.  
"Wow. You really are a good teacher." Willow blushed and tried again  
"Okay. Look at this. It's a covalent  
bond -- which means these two atoms  
are linked by this one electron. You  
know, basic linkage. Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Chlorine. . ." Willow accidentally bumped Buffy's pencil, rolling it off the desk and between it and a table.  
"Oh. Hold it." Buffy reached down and grabbed it, stopping short as she straightened. "Whoah. Deja vu."  
"Really?" Willow was remembering too.  
"The thing with the pencil, I have a perfect memory of being exactly like..."  
She bent down again with the pencil  
"Hey, I think you dropped this." Buffy sat up again and held out a yellow floppy. "The spell..." Willow whispered  
"Huh?"  
"Oh, nothing. Let's see what it is." Willow popped it into the computer. Lines of a strange language began to appear, and next to them an English translation  
"What does that say? 'restoration?'" Buffy squinted at the screen  
"It's one of her spells." Willow confirmed.  
"Oh boy."

-_-_-

Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander, and Cordelia were gathered in the library. Buffy held a printout of the spell in her hands.

"What are you saying?" Giles asked, shocked  
"The curse. This is it." Buffy held out the papers and Giles examined them.  
"It looks like Ms. Calendar was trying to replicate the original curse. To restore Angel's soul again." Willow offered  
"She said it couldn't be done."  
"Well, she tried anyway. And it looks like it might have worked."  
"So he killed her. Before she could  
tell anyone about it. What a prince." Xander scoffed, Cordelia stood next to him  
"Well, this is good, right? I mean, we can curse him again." She had figured it out. Finally.  
"It's not that simple. This points the way, but the ritual itself requires a rather more advanced knowledge of the black arts than I can claim." Giles cleaned his glasses, frowning.  
"I can, though." Willow suggested  
"Willow, performing this kind of ritual,  
channeling such potent majicks through  
yourself -- it will open a door you may  
not be able to close." Giles began, lecture voice in place.  
"I know what I'm doing. I happen to be rather advanced for my age."  
"Are you sure you'll be able to do this Will? I don't want you to get hurt." Buffy looked genuinely concerned, but Willow could see a spark of hope in her eyes.  
"HI! For those of you who have just  
tuned in, everyone here is a crazy  
person. This spell might restore  
Angel's humanity? Well, here's  
an interesting angle: Who cares?" Xander chimed in, shrugging sarcastically.  
"I care." Buffy shot back.  
"Is that right?"  
"Xander, let's not lose perspective here..." Giles tried to calm Xander, but to no avail.  
"I'm perspective guy! Angel is a killer."  
"It's not that simple. Yes Angel has done terrible things, but that was only a demon who walks around in his body. It's not Angel. Remember when you were possessed by that hyena? How would you like it if we held everything you did then against you?" Xander didn't make eye contact.  
"And, it seems as though it was Jenny's last wish." Giles added, gesturing to the printout.  
"Yeah, well, Jenny's dead." Xander shot back, crossing his arms and effectively missing the point.  
"Don't you speak of her in that insolent-" Giles lunged at him, but Buffy had had enough. She stepped between them.  
"All right, stop it!"   
"What do you want to do?" Willow asked, turning to Buffy  
"I don't know... What happened to Angel wasn't his fault."  
"What happened to Ms. Calendar is." Xander reminded her, arms crossed.  
"Herbert." Willow covered the name with a cough, but she was pretty sure Xander heard.  
"You can paint this however you want. Way I see it you want to forget all about Ms Calendar's murder so you can have your boyfriend back." Xander finished with a glare. Buffy stormed off, fuming.  
"Wow. Even I know that was insensitive." Cordelia commented from the sidelines. Three annoyed glares turned on her.  
"Am I wrong?"

-_-_-

Kendra grabbed her bag out of the shelving on the plane, waiting for everyone else to leave the plane before she began her journey to Buffy's. Her watcher had been very adamant that she warn Buffy of the impending doom spelled out for SunnyDale. As she left the cab, Kendra felt that warm tingling feeling in her stomach that meant another Slayer was nearby. Then she saw her, across the street, patrolling.  
Kendra made her way stealthily over to some hedges behind the other Slayer, let's see how little Buffy reacts to a sneak attack. Kendra jumped from the bushes, ready to attack. Buffy stepped into a fighting stance, but smiled when she realized it was only her.  
"You know, polite people call before  
they jump out of the bushes and attack you." Buffy smiled again, settling her hands on her hips.  
"Just wanted to test your reflexes." Kendra replied playfully, mirroring her stance.  
"Would you like to test my face-punching? 'Cause I think you'll find it's improved." Kendra threw her head back, laughing.  
"I was on my way to your house. Saw you walking. Couldn't help myself."  
"Which begs the question and don't think I'm not glad to see you but why are you here? Wait. Let me guess. Your Watcher has informed you that a veery dahk powah is aboot to rise in Sunnydale." She finished, copying Kendra's accent  
"That's about it."  
"Great. Did he give you any idea  
of what this dark power is?" Buffy asked hopefully. Kendra just raised an eyebrow.  
"Thought so."

-_-_-

"It's a big rock. I can't wait to tell my friends. Bet they don't have a rock this big." The 'Gels had gathered them in the factory with a big obelisk at the end. Spike was bored.  
"Spike, boy, you never did learn your history." Angelus chastened him, obviously very excited about the big rock.  
"Let's have a lesson, then."  
"Acathla, the demon, came forth to swallow the world. It was killed by a virtuous knight who pierced the demon's heart before it could draw breath to perform the act. Acathla turned to stone, as demons sometimes do, and was buried where neither man nor demon would be wont to look. Unless of course they're putting up low rent housing. Boys?"  
Two fledges stepped forward, crowbars in hand, and wedged the rock open. The lid fell to the floor with a loud thump and enough dust to clog a gas mask. Inside stood the very stone demon which Angelus regarded so highly, he seemed upset about the stone sword through his chest.  
"Oooh, he fills my head..." Dru began the little head bobbing thing she did. Spike loved her like a sister, but the woman was downright snakelike.  
"I can't hear anything else..."  
The poof shuffled up to the King of Rock.  
"Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword-" Spike began  
"Someone worthy..." Angelus corrected him.  
"-the demon wakes up and wackiness ensues." He finished  
"He will swallow the world." There she goes again...  
"And every creature living on this planet will go to Hell. My friends, we're about to make history..." He turned dramatically,  
"end."

-_-_-

Giles emerged from his office, joining Buffy, Kendra and Willow in the library. Kendra put her bag on the table.  
"I've just been on the phone with the museum. The artifact in question is missing. And the curator has been murdered. Vampires." Giles polished his glasses.  
"And we're sure this thing was the Tomb of Alfalfa?" Buffy ventured  
"Acathla." Willow and Giles corrected simultaneously. He continued,  
"And yes, the information Kendra's Watcher has provided seems conclusive."  
"Okay, can somebody explain the whole 'he will suck the world into Hell' thing? That's the part I'm not loving." Buffy asked, obviously concerned.   
"The demon universe exists in a dimension separate from our own. With one breath Acathla will create a vortex, a kind of whirlpool that will pull everything on Earth into that dimension, where any non-demon life will suffer horrible, eternal torment." Giles finished, settling his glasses back on his nose.  
"So that would be the literal kind of 'sucked into Hell'. Neat."  
Kendra turned to Buffy  
"You think Angelus and the others are responsible for the theft of the tomb?"  
"I'd bet folding money on it."  
"I can't believe you dated him." Kendra saw Buffy's look and quickly changed the subject.  
"I mean, he's got to be stopped."  
"We don't know where they are. They moved after Giles torched their house." Willow couldn't remember everything perfectly, it had been years for chrissake.  
"You did? Good for you." Kendra congratulated Giles, he blushed.  
"It was nothing, really." Buffy ignored them and turned to Willow.  
"Willow... I think you should try to do the curse. Bring Angel back."  
"I tend to side with your friend Xander on this one. Angel should be eliminated." Kendra interjected.  
"I'll fight him. If I have to, I'll kill him. But if I lose, or I don't find him in time... Willow might be our only hope." Buffy replied solemnly. Willow was ready.  
"I'm ready to be our only hope, I have a list of supplies going already."  
"We have." Kendra dramatically stated, pulling a gorgeous sword from her sheath-bag thing. It caught the light and flashed; looking deadly and beautiful. Perfect for a Slayer.  
"Blessed by the knight who first slew the Demon. If all else fails, this might stop it." She scanned the sword, then focused on the slayer.   
"I think."  
"Let's hope all else doesn't fail. How close are you to figuring out the ritual for the curse?" Giles asked Willow  
"I've mostly got it down, should be ready tomorrow. Which means I can't help Buffy study for tomorrow's finals."  
"I'll wing it. Of course, if we go to Hell by then I won't have to take them." Her eyes widened.  
"Or maybe I'll be taking them forever..."  
"Well, Angel has a ritual of his own to perform before he can remove the sword and awake Acathla. With any luck, that may take some time as well." Giles added hopefully. Those must be the cleanest glasses in the universe.

-_-_-

Spike was pacing, should he warn the scoobies? What would happen to Willow? To 'Passions'? To Timmy? No, Spike was not letting this world go to hell. He liked it. He-  
"Spike?" Drusilla called softly just outside the door. Spike flung himself into the wheelchair as she entered.  
"Spike, sweetie, the fun's about to begin."  
"It is? Seems more to me like the fun's about to end."  
"Don't be all gloomy." She pouted  
"Darling, if this works, everything changes. Think about it. In this world, we can be kings. In the next..." He tried to show her some perspective  
"My Spikey's getting cold feet. Don't you  
worry about the next world. You'll always  
have me..." That's what you get for trying to reason with a loon.  
"Will I?" His sister seemed prone to leaving his side in fits of attitude or devotion to her sire over him. Suddenly a scream echoed from the other room, Annie seemed to be enjoying himself.  
"Oh! The blood ritual! To cleanse Angel. Let's go and see." She clapped her hands, Spike gave in  
"Well, if there's blood..." He wheeled after her. They entered the main floor where Acathla, Angelus, and a few fledglings stood, waiting. Angelus signaled the other vamps and they brought out the source of the scream, a young man with fear rolling off him like rain off an umbrella. The vampire approached his victim.  
"I will drink... The blood will wash in me, over me and I will be cleansed. I will be worthy to free Acathla." He addressed his childer  
"Bear witness... as I ascend... As I become." He drained the poor bastard and looked up, blood on his lips. He walked slowly to the statue, the others watching him. Angelus glanced at his hand. It had blood on it.  
"Everything that I am, everything that I have done, has led me here. This night. This act." He addressed rock boy  
"You will be free." he dramatically grabbed the sword and pulled. Nothing happened.  
"Someone wasn't worthy..." Spike sang, he was getting a massive kick out of this. The Poof, all dressed up and fancy, repeating all this ritualistic crap as if he were some sort of god, and he gets nothing.  
Angel whirled, furious  
"The ritual. There must be something I missed. The incantations, the blood... Dammit! I don't know..." He was desperate  
"This is so disappointing. What are we going to do?" He had nearly forgotten about Dru in all the fuss. Angelus stopped, turning to them dramatically.  
"What we always do in a time of trouble. Turn to an old friend. We'll have our Armageddon, I swear." He was panting, obviously off his head. He grabbed an old vase and hurled it at the wall, shattering it.

-_-_-

Willow sat on the table, the orb in front of her. Cordelia waved a burning sage bush, making lazy circles around Willow. Giles stood on Willow's other side, holding a book. There were intricate symbols across the tables surface, bones and rocks mixed in orderly disorder. Xander stood on the balcony, watching closely. Kendra protected the door.  
"Quod perditum est, invenietur." Giles began the chant.  
"Not dead, nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum, I call. Let him know the pain of humanity. Gods, reach your wizened hands to me, give me the soul of-" she was interrupted by the sudden appearance of two vamps behind Xander. He began fighting.  
"Look out!" He called to Kendra, who was receiving company of her own. Xander and Kendra managed to stop one each, but the others made it through to Willow and Cordy. They took off for the stacks, Willow split from the other girl, and passed Xander just as his wrist was broken with a resounding crack. Giles tried to stop one of the approaching vamps, but was quickly knocked out. That seemed to happen a lot.  
A dull creak sounded behind her and she whipped her head around too late to avoid being nearly crushed under a bookcase. Luckily her constant barriers dampened the effects and she remained conscious, although later she wished she hadn't. Willow watched as Xander, with a final burst of strength, pushed one vampire into another to leave an opening for Cordelia to escape. The vampires separated, one grabbing Xander and the other rushing towards Kendra. Xander was luckily only rendered unconscious by the vamp.  
Drusilla drifted in, watching Kendra fight with little interest. The vampires were charging her, only succeeding in getting thrown around, but the Slayer was getting tired.  
"Enough!" Drusilla ordered, the vamps immediately obeyed and fell back. Willow was left unnoticed to watch the fight. Kendra's last fight. They circled and clashed, backing off and charging again, but Kendra was too tired to give her best effort and Drusilla quickly pinned her against the front desk. She stared into the condemned Slayer's eyes, hypnotizing her.  
"Look at me Dearie...  
Be in my eyes...  
Be in me..."  
Drusilla bobbed her head, testing the connection, and Kendra mirrored. Willow couldn't look away as the vampire shot out her hand and slashed the slayer's throat. Kendra's eyes widened as blood welled up and she grasped the wound, the crimson liquid gushing from between her fingers. She made a strangled noise and dropped. Willow tried to scream, but the bookcase was slowly crushing the air from her lungs. The last thing she saw before the lack of oxygen got to her head was Drusilla slowly approaching her.  
"Good night, dearies."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go...


End file.
